2015: Speculations about the host duo

According to rumours, ORF has already made its decision regarding the hosts of the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest – several Austrian media are speculating about Alice Tumler and Andi Knoll having been chosen to present the huge event in May.

Alice Tumler has worked for German-French broadcaster ARTE and only joined the ORF family last year. She was born in Innsbruck to a mother from Martinique. Besides German, Alice is fluent in English, French, Italian and proficient in Spanish and Portuguese – therefore language-wise predestined to host Eurovision. In London she studied journalism and sociology, in Paris she attended theatre courses. When it comes to working together with Andi Knoll, she already has experience – they hosted the two previous seasons of the talent show Die Große Chance together.

Andi Knoll might already be a familiar face to hardcore ESC fans. He has commented Eurovision for ORF since 1999 and hosted the national finals from 2011 to 2013. Having started out as a radio host, he is now one of the established ORF presenters for TV shows.

So far, ORF has denied these rumours: “Nothing is decided yet and we won’t take part in any of the speculations”. An official announcement regarding the hosts can be expected in mid-December. One thing is for sure already: Mirjam Weichselbraun will host the four preselection shows to determine the Austrian entrant – which might indicate that she won’t get the big job in May.

According to polls, there is a clear favourite among people about who should host the shows in May: Oscar winner Christoph Waltz. However, in a newspaper interview he already revealed that he isn’t interested in taking up the job. “I don’t want to talk down the event but I will leave it to people who are actually experts in this field,” he stated.

Would you be satisfied with Alice Tumler and Andi Knoll being the host duo? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Kleine Zeitung • Picture courtesy: Thomas Ramstorfer (ORF)